> General Discussions

Seeing the Book of Job in a new light

(1/3) > >>

skydreamers:
When I was a new Christian the Book of Job used to really intimidate me.  I remember being told once that God and Satan were betting over the fate of poor Job as to whether or not he would break and submit to God or the devil.  It was a test which could have gone either way.  This really freaked me out!  Needless to say I avoided the book for years. 

But since coming to bibletruths.com I'm starting to see this whole story differently.  I realize there is a tremendous amount going on in Job's story, but what struck me as I was reading it recently is how much it really shows our lack of "free wil" and Satan's lack of "free will".  At first it seems that Satan is more obedient to God than most humans in that God tells him you can do "such and such but not such and such" and Satan obeys.  But then I realized it is simply that he cannot perform outside of the will of God. 

I used to feel really sorry for poor Job who seemingly had all these disasters happen to him for no good reason.  But this is how I now see it:  it looks like Job was sort of like Adam and Eve in that he had not yet had his "experience of evil to humble" him.  He had not yet acquired the much needed "knowledge of evil". 

Job 42:1-6 ESV
1  Then Job answered the LORD and said:
2  "I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3  'Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
4  'Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.'
5  I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you;
6  therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes."


It seems Job didn't really understand God before or his own true spiritual condition, but this whole experience truly humbled him.  So he spiritually grew and matured from it.  And it seems that this could have been accomplished in no other way than by the afflictions he suffered.  This now makes sense to me and gives purpose and meaning to why god put Job through the suffering. 

Like I said, I know there is so much more to Job's story but I'm just so excited to see these things in a different way that is not so scary or intimidating.  Yay!  It makes digging for more truth such a joy. 

Peace to all,
Diana

hillsbororiver:
Hi Diana,

Can you see Job as representing your own spiritual walk? Where you were, how God got your attention?

The following is from a thread we had going a while back. 

 http://www.forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,2376.0.html 


   Job 7 (Amplified Bible)
   

  1 IS THERE not an [appointed] warfare and hard labor to man upon earth? And are not his days like the days of a hireling?

  2 As a servant earnestly longs for the shade and the evening shadows, and as a hireling who looks for the reward of his work,

  3 So am I allotted months of futile [suffering], and [long] nights of misery are appointed to me.

  4 When I lie down I say, When shall I arise and the night be gone? And I am full of tossing to and fro till the dawning of the day.

  5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken and has become loathsome, and it closes up and breaks out afresh.

  6 My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.

  7 Oh, remember that my life is but wind (a puff, a breath, a sob); my eye shall see good no more.

  8 The eye of him who sees me shall see me no more; while your eyes are upon me, I shall be gone.

  9 As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he who goes down to Sheol (the place of the dead) shall come up no more.

 10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.

 11 Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul [O Lord]!

 12 Am I the sea, or the sea monster, that You set a watch over me?

 13 When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint,

 14 Then You scare me with dreams and terrify me through visions,

 15 So that I would choose strangling and death rather than these my bones.

 16 I loathe my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone, for my days are a breath (futility).

 17 What is man that You should magnify him and think him important? And that You should set Your mind upon him?(A)

 18 And that You should visit him every morning and try him every moment?

 19 How long will Your [plaguing] glance not look away from me, nor You let me alone till I swallow my spittle?

 20 If I have sinned, what [harm] have I done You, O You Watcher and Keeper of men? Why have You set me as a mark for You, so that I am a burden to myself [and You]?

 21 And why do You not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For now shall I lie down in the dust; and [even if] You will seek me diligently, [it will be too late, for] I shall not be.

Not feeling like this presently but Brothers and Sisters I can feel real empathy for and relate to where Job is coming from here. How about you?




 His Peace and Wisdom to you,

 Joe

rrammfcitktturjsp:
Diana,

  I have been looking for that Scripture where it says that no purpose of God can be thwarted.  Your post makes me want to skip the tithing and Lake of Fire series and go into the Free Will papers, but they will come in their own time.

  Thanks for sharing some of your journey with us.

  Sincerely,



  Anne C. McGuire

Deborah-Leigh:
Hebrews 12 : 6,7,8 for the Lord corrects and disciplines everyone whom He loves, and He punishes, even scourges, every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes. 7. You must submit to and endure correction for discipline; God is dealing with you as with sons, For what son is there whom his father does not thus train and correct and discipline? 8. Now if you are exempt from correction and left without discipline in which all of God’s children share, then you are illegitimate offspring and not true sons at all.

Sometimes I feel as if God has given me time out! That is the worst….when He is not so evident in His Presence to me and when it just feels like me is there? Know what I mean anyone?

Peace to you

Arcturus :)

rrammfcitktturjsp:
Arcturus,

  Yeah I sure do.  Sometimes I would rather the punishment and discipline rather than the time out.  I think that is what my lesson right now is, to discern God's presence while in time out.  And it is hard to do sometimes if not all the time.

  Sincerely,



  Anne C. McGuire

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page